Japanese matcha for Washington.

Who we supply in Washington

Seattle taught the country to care about where a bean came from, and that habit transfers directly to matcha: buyers here ask about cultivar, harvest, and milling date without being prompted. The city now has dedicated matcha bars alongside the specialty coffee shops that added matcha to the menu years ago, the Eastside cities of Bellevue and Redmond carry a large Asian-American population and a mature boba scene, and there is a long-standing Japanese-American community with customers who know what good matcha tastes like. The result is informed demand at both ends: straight usucha and ceremonial-grade drinks at the top, and iced lattes and boba at volume.

That also means a Seattle buyer has choices, including local brands and national online wholesalers. What decides it is the taste of a specific lot in your own drinks, and whether you can see its origin, harvest, and milling date before you commit. That is what the sample kit is for.

• Specialty coffee roasters and cafes in Seattle, Tacoma, and Spokane adding a matcha program with the same rigour as their espresso.
• Boba shops across Bellevue, Redmond, and the International District.
• Japanese restaurants and grocers with customers who know what good matcha tastes like.
• Roasters with wholesale arms who can carry matcha to their own cafe accounts.

Shipping to Washington

For a cafe, roaster, or boba shop, there is nothing to import. Sample kits go out by USPS after we reply, usually within 24 hours. Wholesale orders are milled to order in Japan and shipped to your address in Washington with customs handled on our side, so the first time you touch the product is when the box arrives at your door. Lead time is 7 to 14 days from payment.

• Samples: up to two grades, two sealed 10 g sachets each, sent by USPS to any Washington food or beverage business.
• Wholesale orders: from 5 kg, grades mixed as you like in 1 kg or 500 g bags, shipped from Japan to your address in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Spokane, or anywhere else in the state.
• Container scale: distributors importing on their own account use the Northwest Seaport Alliance terminals in Seattle and Tacoma, the closest major US container gateway to Japan, or Sea-Tac for air cargo.

Licensing in Washington

Federal import requirements apply as everywhere, and on a delivered order we handle the import side. At state level the Washington State Department of Agriculture runs the food safety programs, including food processor and food storage warehouse licensing, while local health jurisdictions handle retail food service permits. Confirm your category with WSDA before ordering.

• Holding wholesale matcha in your own warehouse generally means a WSDA food storage license rather than only a county food service permit.
• Repacking into retail bags moves you into food processing, which is licensed separately.

Choosing a grade for Seattle's straight matcha and latte menus

Seattle menus split two ways. Matcha bars and coffee shops with a serious tea program serve usucha straight, hot or iced, where there is nothing to hide behind; for that, Super Ceremonial is the grade to taste, and Premium Ceremonial if the tea itself is your product. Cafes and boba shops building lattes need a powder that keeps its green and its umami under oat milk, syrup, and ice: Ceremonial Barista for that, or Organic Ceremonial Barista where you want an organic line. Pick the two closest to your menu as your sample kit, make your actual drinks with each, and taste them next to the powder you use today.

If you roast coffee and already supply cafes, matcha can travel on the same accounts. A roaster with a wholesale arm can take a lot, hold one specification, and carry it to the cafes it delivers to, so every account gets the same product. Tell us the volume early, because reserving from a harvest lot is a different conversation from ordering off the shelf.

Your first order, step by step

Start with up to two grades of your choice. Free sample kits are available for US businesses. Test them in your own recipes before choosing your first wholesale order.

• Tell us what you serve. Share your menu, milk, cup size, and expected volume.
• Taste with your team. Compare the samples in the drinks your customers order.
• Get a delivery quote. Confirm grade, quantity, and shipping to Seattle. Wholesale orders ship from Japan.